The team entered the opening ceremony behind the Union Flag carried by judoka Kate Howey.

Although a sprinkling of silver and bronze medals – including a pair in men's and women's k1 kayak slalom – enlivened the mid-week, Britain's first gold did not come until Friday the 20th (won by Chris Hoy in the 1 km track cycling time-trial).

[4] 23 August saw Britain's first gold medal of the track and field events, Kelly Holmes winning the women's 800 metres.

Steve Backley, in his final javelin throw competition, failed to win the gold he had been seeking since 1992, finishing fourth.

The final day of the games, 29 August, saw Amir Khan collect Britain's last medal of the event with a silver in boxing's lightweight division.

The BBC stated that this was "the best British performance in the modern era", and quantified this with further considerations: "GB won 37 in 1984, but that was a boycott-hit Games missing the Eastern Bloc countries.

[10] Head coach: Jason Lee Eight British judoka (two men and six women) qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Two British athletes qualified to compete in the modern pentathlon event through the European and UIPM World Championships.

M = Medal race; OCS = On course side of the starting line; DSQ = Disqualified; DNF = Did not finish; DNS= Did not start; RDG = Redress given Six British shooters (five men and one woman) qualified to compete in the following events: British swimmers earned qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the A-standard time, and 1 at the B-standard time): All British swimmers must qualify by finishing in the top two of the Olympic trials having gained the GB qualifying A standard set by British Swimming in the relevant final (that time being the fastest time of the sixteenth fastest swimmer internationally in that event in 2003).

The digital television service allowed up to five streamed channels covering the games, allowing more extensive coverage of minor sports, whilst the BBC's website permitted UK broadband users to view live streams from a variety of events, and other countries to view delayed highlights.

Expert analysts and commentators included Sharron Davies, Jonathan Edwards, Sally Gunnell, Michael Johnson, Colin Jackson, and Steve Redgrave.